Wednesday, July 22, 2009

If you think back when you were young, much younger in some cases, what do you remember? The simplest answer is pictures. Your entire life is a book full of memory pictures of people, places, things, events, epiphanies, creativity and so on.

When I think back on some of those times, I realize I became a very young artist when things weren't going as well as I thought they should. I retreated into coloring books and would re-color my world and make it a better, happier place where I liked to live. Yet I discovered that this also works when I was happy too. In fact drawing and coloring created a different vibration all around me and I realized not only was my life full of great images and pictures around me, I could also create my own pictures and people loved it. They still do. I was at my high school reunion and the first thing my old friends remembered about me was I was was the guy who used to draw cartoons. They remembered pictures. I still draw and paint today.

21st Century people are no different today, except they have access to more media to retreat into from their daily lives. We have manifested a new world which changes constantly before our eyes. We live in an ocean of motion.

Through all these things, our "happy places" bring us all to a new level of consciousness. Whatever good things we enjoy or create for ourselves is what brings us a good feeling or positive vibration. We feel in sync with ourselves, our friends. It makes us better people to others and to ourselves.

At Space Monkey, we want to have an opportunity to share our pictures of some of the things we enjoy and we believe you will too. It is a proven fact that art changes community. It promotes happiness and a feeling of well-being, whether it's certain colors or a scene or abstract, we know somehow artworks of all kinds create certain feelings within. Even though we have a specific focus on kids, we know as adults everybody enjoys art and can certainly relate to a time when they saw a cartoon or comic book that made them feel happy and joyful. Isn't that the bottom line for each and every one of us? And when you feel happy don't you want to share with others that feeling so they can also be happy?

We are grateful to have this amazing opportunity to create something that is bigger than what it seems on the surface. It is, in fact, our legacy that we can leave after we're long gone.

With today's technology, creating and sharing art has become a gigantic industry. Art is accessible in places all over our planet. So you don't have to leave your house to go to a museum or gallery, even though we highly recommend it whenever possible.

Whatever you do today, find an image that makes you happy and carry that image with you. If you can't share the image, at least share the happiness you felt the second it changed your mood.

What are you going to do now? How are you going to instantly make your life better in the next second?

Monday, July 20, 2009

When we first thought about the concept of officially doing art for kids spaces with my fellow artist Dan Peeler, we needed at least one central character.

Working with our entire team, the four of us, now including Laura and Elliott Seymour have begun to expand the Universe that gave birth to our progressive primate, whom we've been referring to as SMo-short of course for Space Monkey.

SMo, with his unique look with aqua-blue ears and green antennae, fits that purpose. Our familiar monkey from outer space comes to us from Planet oOLOo, whose primary mission is to fill boring spaces with things of color and beauty, humor and whimsy. SMo not only helps us to enjoy these new spaces, but gives us the opportunity to be inspired and learn with our imaginations.

SMo is ever-evolving, but rarely conforming. Does SMo have a family? What else does SMo bring to us and what do we bring to SMo?

One thing is certain, Space Monkeys creators and SMo's fanbase will all learn together more about SMo's universe as the BIG secrets become unveiled.

About Me

is a Dallas-based artist, writer and business partner of Dan Peeler at Peeler-Rose Productions.In his spare time enjoys product research,Mid-Century Modern design, movies, museums, modern art and tiki culture.